SPARTANBURG–Elias Alford McCormac, III, 81, peacefully passed into heaven on February 16, 2014, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Services are scheduled for Saturday 3:00 pm at Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church in Dillon, SC with visitation preceding the service at 2:00 pm. Kannaday Funeral Home in Dillon is assisting the family. “Alford” or “Buddy” was born on May 18, 1932, in Abbeville, SC, to Elias Alford, Jr., and Lena Rhoad McCormac.
Alford graduated from Dillon High School in 1950 and attended Clemson Agricultural College where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1954. He moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and worked 34 years for the US Air Force at Eglin AFB as an electronics engineer with a specialty in radars. There in 1957 he married Erna Estelle Eanes, originally of Lenoir, North Carolina.
Alford and Erna were happily married for 56 years. He spent much of his spare time with family deep sea fishing in the Gulf, working around the house, and attending church activities. Alford served for many years first as a deacon and later as a ruling elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Ft. Walton.
Alford is survived by his wife Erna, now residing in Spartanburg, SC; his children John Alford McCormac (Rhonda) of Chelsea, AL; Nancy Sanders (Gary) of Dillon, SC; Susan Bennett (Chipley) of Spartanburg, SC; and Sara Holtz (Jack) of La Center, WA; sister Jonnie Flynn McCormac (Robert) Snyder of Dillon; grandchildren Laura Elizabeth Countess, Thomas Countess, Sarah Lynn McCormac, Angela Sanders Evans (Andy), Gary Tod Sanders (Brittany), Kelly Flynn Sanders, Michael Chipley Bennett (Rachel), Anna Grace Bennett, Daniel McCormac Bennett, Joshua James Holtz, Carolyn Renee Holtz, and Eric Andrew Holtz; great-grandchildren Noah Evans, Abby Evans, Max Evans; sister-in-law Alice Lorenzen Eades.
Alford was predeceased by granddaughters Sarah Elizabeth Bennett and Katie Lynn Holtz.
Memorials may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCA), 2 Woodham Avenue, Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32547.
You may sign the online guestbook at www.kannadayfuneralhome.com.
